Smith returned for one play after getting knocked out late in the third quarter, but has since returned to the sideline. It's terrible news for a 49ers defense that's let a 31-3 lead slip away in Foxboro. The good news is, Smith's one play came after X-rays, so it's possible major injury has been ruled out. Ricky Jean-Francois has come on in his absence.

"Yeah, I'm not 100 percent -- I know that," Cutler said. "No one is. We're just going to have to take it day by day." Cutler had his neck examined during Sunday's game, and it momentarily appeared as if backup Jason Campbell would enter. "You know, I keep getting something in my neck," Cutler added. "I just told Jason Campbell to be ready, because I don't know what's going to happen."

Alfonzo Dennard leaves game w/ knee issue

12-16-2012

Alfonzo Dennard CB ARZ

Patriots CB Alfonzo Dennard was forced from New England's Week 15 game against the 49ers with a knee injury, and is questionable to return.

"Those things should heal fast, so hopefully I'll be back next week," Sanders said. Fantasy owners shouldn't be holding their breath anyway. After a brief stint as a "co-starter" with Mike Wallace, Sanders has been relegated to a bit role as the No. 3 wideout. He saw just one target Sunday before going down.

Clark Haggans knocked out with injury

12-16-2012

Clark Haggans LB SF

49ers LB Clark Haggans was forced from San Francisco's Week 15 game against the Patriots with a shoulder injury and will not return.

The injury was initially described as being to Dahl's elbow. Regardless, he is lost for the season's remainder. We'll take a look at one of the younger guys up front at the guard spot," coach Jeff Fisher said. Look for Dahl to be placed on the injured reserve list early this week.

Tashard Choice rushed just one time for seven yards in the Bills' Week 15 loss to the Seahawks.

Coach Chan Gailey stayed true to his word as Choice only came on the field when C.J. Spiller asked out. Spiller ended up with 20 touches, just the second time he's reached the 20-touch mark this season.

Matt Forte handled goal-line carries, and it didn't go well. Forte had three goal-line attempts, gaining four yards and scoring no touchdowns. Bush's availability for Week 16 against the Cardinals is uncertain, but Forte will be a better bet to score in fantasy championship week. Bush played two offensive snaps in Week 14, so he's now been a non-factor for the last two games.

Roethlisberger was displeased that the Steelers didn't get the ball to Heath Miller at all in the second half. "I just don't think we called the right plays to get him the ball," Big Ben said. Roethlisberger was then asked whey the Steelers didn't run more no-huddle in the final two quarters. "That's tough for me to answer right now," he said. "The second half we didn't do much of it, and that's disappointing." Ben's relationship with OC Todd Haley may be chilling at the wrong time of year. The Steelers dropped to 7-7 with Sunday's loss to Dallas.

Mike Wallace caught four passes for 95 yards in Pittsburgh's Week 15 loss to the Cowboys.

Wallace was inches away from a 61-yard touchdown in the third quarter, but just missed pay-dirt on a slightly under-thrown ball from Ben Roethlisberger. The duo had trouble hooking up all afternoon, as Wallace could secure only 4-of-10 targets. Nevertheless, Wallace has now awoke for 212 yards over his past two games after totaling just 91 in Weeks 10-13. Wallace needs to post 177 yards over Pittsburgh's final two games to reach 1,000 for the third straight season.

Chris Rainey rushed three times for 15 yards in Pittsburgh's Week 15 loss to the Cowboys.

He was held without a catch on two targets in the passing game. Although Isaac Redman appeared to tweak his ankle in the third quarter, Rainey will remain well off the flex radar for the fantasy finals even if Redman can't give it a go against the Bengals.

Kevin Ogletree was held to one catch for nine yards in Dallas' Week 15 win over the Steelers.

Ogletree's first-quarter grab was his only look of the afternoon. Targeted just nine times to Dwayne Harris' 23 over the Cowboys' past five games, Dallas' one-week wonder is miles away from fantasy relevance, both in redraft and Dynasty formats.

Dwayne Harris caught four passes for 46 yards in Dallas' Week 15 win over the Steelers.

Dallas' emerging No. 3 receiver also added a critical 39-yard punt return with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter. Although Harris has now drawn 23 targets to Kevin Ogletree's nine over the Cowboys' past five games, he's still not a viable WR4/5 for fantasy purposes.

Felix Jones rushed just three times for 10 yards in Dallas' Week 15 win over the Steelers.

He wasn't targeted in the passing game. Jones has touched the ball just 12 times in three games since DeMarco Murray returned from his foot injury. "Fragile Felix" is off the radar in all formats of fantasy.

Isaac Redman rushed three times for 30 yards in Pittsburgh's Week 15 loss to the Cowboys, adding one catch for 14 yards.

It was a nice day for Redman in a change-of-pace role, but he appeared to tweak his foot/ankle on a 22-yard run up the sideline near the end of the third quarter. He checked in for a four-yard gain three plays later, but wasn't seen the rest of the afternoon even though the game was tight and Jonathan Dwyer was struggling. Redman has struggled through ankle issues for much of the season. His status will likely be updated Monday.

Heath Miller caught seven passes for 92 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's Week 15 loss to the Cowboys.

Miller's touchdown was a 30-yard job that come on a Ben Roethlisberger Houdini-act. The Steelers' signal caller attempted two pump fakes as he evaded the rush for a solid 10 seconds. Miller notched just one catch after halftime, but both the yards and grabs were his second-highest totals of the season. With two games to go, Roethlisberger's safety valve is sporting a 68/771/8 line.

Jason Witten caught five passes for 43 yards and a touchdown in Dallas' Week 15 win over the Steelers.

Astoundingly, the touchdown was just Witten's second of the season even though he entered Week 15 with 92 catches on 124 targets. The yards were actually fewest since Week 3, but Witten has now notched five or more grabs in 10 of his past 11 games. If Witten notches three catches in Week 16, it will give him the first 100-reception campaign of his career. The 97 grabs are already a new personal best.

Miles Austin caught seven passes for 79 yards in Dallas' Week 15 win over the Steelers.

With Dez Bryant playing through a broken finger, Austin was Dallas' primary method of chain movement, drawing 10 targets. Both the grabs and yards were team highs, and Austin's most since Week 9. With 898 yards receiving through 14 contests, Austin needs to average just 51 over Dallas' final two games to post his third 1,000-yard campaign in four years.

Griffin felt like he was healthy enough to play "this week, next week and the week after." But coach Mike Shanahan said the medical staff urged him to err on the side of caution. "When I hear two of the best doctors saying don't play him, I don't play him." Griffin did appear close to suiting up Sunday, so a Week 16 return appears very realistic. The standard timeline for a Grade 1 LCL sprain is 1-2 weeks.

Antonio Brown caught eight passes for 76 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's Week 15 loss to the Cowboys.

It was a perfectly fine afternoon from a fantasy perspective, but Brown wounded the Steelers with a host of mental mistakes. Brown fumbled twice - losing one - and cost the Steelers field position by lining up too deep on a late fourth-quarter punt. Then with the Steelers looking to convert a 3rd-and-26 with 0:47 remaining in a tie game, Brown inexplicably ran out-of-bounds on an 11-yard grab, enabling the Cowboys to keep a timeout. It was the kind of performance that lands a player in the doghouse, though the Steelers may not have that option after Emmanuel Sanders departed with a rib injury. Brown will be a WR3 for the fantasy finals against Cincinnati.

Montgomery is headed for an MRI Sunday night or Monday morning. His Week 16 status is in doubt, along with starting RT Tyler Polumbus (concussion). The Redskins were forced to kick LG Kory Lichtensteiger to center and bring on Maurice Hurt after Montgomery went down.

Floyd tied for the team-lead with his five targets and was the only receiver to top 22 yards. With Early Doucet (concussion) out, the first-round pick played a decent chunk of snaps. Floyd, along with the rest of the Arizona receiving corps, holds no fantasy value for Week 16 in the midst of a nightmarish quarterback situation.

Dez Bryant (finger) caught four passes for 59 yards and a touchdown in Dallas' Week 15 win over the Steelers.

Playing with his left hand taped up, Bryant had a mixed afternoon against Pittsburgh's banged up secondary, hauling in just 4-of-9 targets while letting two catchable balls slip through his fingers. His broken left index finger was an obvious issue, as he attempted to catch the ball by letting it first hit off his chest. However, Tony Romo wasn't reluctant to look his No. 1 receiver's way - in the red zone or elsewhere - while coach Jason Garrett did a good job of trying to get Bryant out in space. Bryant is going to be more of a boom-or-bust option for the final two weeks of the regular season than he was before getting hurt, but his upside remains extremely high.

Jonathan Dwyer rushed nine times for 22 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's Week 15 loss to the Cowboys.

Dwyer was targeted just once in the passing game, and failed to make the grab. Dwyer was held to 2.4 yards per carry even though the Cowboys were missing NT Jay Ratliff and are down to third-stringers at inside linebacker. He simply hasn't been effective since being named the Steelers' lead back. He's averaging 2.9 yards per carry over his past 42 totes going back to Week 12. That's bad news with Geno Atkins and the Bengals coming to town in Week 16. Dwyer won't be a recommended flex option for the final week of the fantasy playoffs.

Kris Durham caught just one pass for 14 yards in Sunday's Week 15 loss to Arizona.

Durham was targeted five times on the day, but none of the passes were particularly close to being catch-able. Matthew Stafford was doing his usual sidearm and throwing-off-the-back-foot routine. Durham doesn't hold any fantasy value.

Andre Roberts caught just three passes for 22 yards in Week 15 against the Lions.

Roberts tied for the team-lead with his five targets, but there just wasn't anything to do with the ball after-the-catch. The quarterback play in Arizona has left the receivers on the team for dead in terms of fantasy relevance.

DeMarco Murray rushed 14 times for 81 yards and a touchdown in Dallas' Week 15 win over the Steelers, adding four catches for 31 additional yards.

Murray also lost a killer fumble - the first of his two-year career - at the Steelers' seven-yard line in the first quarter, but it didn't come back to haunt Big D. Although he still didn't look quite 100 percent, Murray ran with impressive power against the Steelers' formidable run defense, and appeared as decisive as he's been since returning from his foot injury in Week 13. Since coming back, Murray has rolled up 217 yards on 58 carries (3.7 YPC). Not an overly impressive number, but he's added 12 catches for 72 yards, and stabilized a backfield that was among the league's least effective during his absence. He has a mouthwatering Week 16 matchup in the Saints' bottom-feeding run defense.

Philip Rivers completed 16-of-23 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers' Week 15 blowout loss to Carolina.

He scrambled three times for four yards. The Chargers got dominated in time of possession and had no prayer in pass protection. Rivers settled for checkdowns throughout the contest, completing just two passes for 39 yards combined to outside receivers Malcom Floyd and Danario Alexander, on five combined targets. Rivers has had a nightmare 2012 season, bringing San Diego's skill-position players down along with him. The Chargers will face the Jets' top-five pass defense in Week 16.

Ryan Lindley completed just 14-of-21 passes for 104 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception in Sunday's Week 15 win over the Lions.

Lindley tossed just the one pick, so that has to be considered improvement for the rookie. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt didn't ask his quarterback to take any shots downfield, so he was set up to not turn the ball over. His quarterback rating of 58.4 is laughably a season-best. The win will likely get Lindley another start next week against the Bears. Arizona will probably have to peel him off the turf a number of times in Week 16.

Roethlisberger settled down for his third 300-yard game of the season after getting off to a shaky start, but doomed the Steelers' chances with an interception in overtime. Roethlisberger telegraphed a pass to Mike Wallace, and Cowboys CB Brandon Carr jumped the route, returning the ball all the way to the Steelers' one-yard line. It was Ben's worst throw of the day by far, and one that has Pittsburgh facing a must-win game in Week 16 against the Bengals. Roethlisberger did make one of the best plays of his career in the second quarter, evading the rush for nearly 10 seconds as he pump faked twice before finding Heath Miller for a 30-yard touchdown. Despite missing three and a half games, Roethlisberger will enter Week 16 with 22 scores.

Mathews broke his left collarbone in the preseason. Seemingly confirming the notion that he's "made of glass," Mathews fractured the other clavicle on an early second-quarter carry against Carolina and will miss Weeks 16-17. Curtis Brinkley and Jackie Battle will finish out the season as San Diego's top two tailbacks, unless Ronnie Brown returns from his hamstring injury. Mathews' injury ends one of the most disappointing seasons in recent fantasy memory. Selected in the first three rounds of drafts, Mathews entered Week 15 as the No. 25 overall fantasy running back and will finish outside of the top 30. He was the No. 7 fantasy running back in 2011.

Despite the fact that his No. 1 receiver was essentially playing with one hand, Romo out-dueled Ben Roethlisberger in his second turnover-free performance in three weeks. The 342 yards passing were his second most of the season, and have the Cowboys sitting at 8-6 and tied for the NFC East lead with two games to go. Romo will get the Saints' burnable defense at home in Week 16.

T.J. Graham caught three passes for 32 yards in the Bills' Week 15 loss to the Seahawks.

Graham started once again in place of Donald Jones (calf), but put in a woeful performance. He flat-out dropped at least three balls and could have caught two more. Graham is well off the fantasy radar even if Jones misses more time.

Tony Scheffler caught just three passes for 36 yards in Detroit's Week 15 loss to the Cardinals.

Scheffler finished second on the team with his seven targets, but it wasn't as many as we would have guessed, especially since Matthew Stafford threw the ball 50 times on the day. It was an underwhelming effort, considering that Brandon Pettigrew (ankle) missed the game. If Pettigrew, who is week-to-week, misses next week against the Falcons, Scheffler will again be a low-end TE1.

Dexter McCluster led the Chiefs with seven receptions for 59 yards in Week 15.

McCluster's 10 targets were six more than the next-closest teammate. His 31-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter was the offense's lone highlight of the game. McCluster is no more than a deep-league flex option in PPR formats.

Stevie Johnson caught eight passes for 115 yards with a touchdown in the Bills' Week 15 loss to the Seahawks.

Johnson ate up the shadow coverage of Richard Sherman. His touchdown came on a pretty, bending corner route from 20 yards out. He also made catches with extreme degrees of difficulty, including one over the middle by the nose of the football. Johnson will push for double-digit targets as a WR3 against Sean Smith and the Dolphins next week.

Jon Baldwin was held without a catch on four targets at Oakland in Week 15.

As has been the case for since his rookie year began, Baldwin struggled to separate or get off the jam at the line of scrimmage. Every throw from Brady Quinn became a jumpball, and Baldwin won none of them. He's unworthy of a roster spot even in deeper leagues.

Jackie Battle rushed three times for two yards and caught two passes for 12 yards in San Diego's Week 15 blowout loss to Carolina.

Battle saw a slight uptick in usage because Ryan Mathews left with an early second-quarter shoulder injury. Curtis Brinkley played more of the snaps, however, because he's a superior passing-down option and San Diego was in passing situations all day due to a huge deficit. Should Mathews and Ronnie Brown (hamstring) not play in Week 16, Battle would figure to be the primary early-down back against the Jets.

Jamaal Charles was held to 10 yards on nine carries and 18 yards on three receptions at Oakland in Week 15.

Charles had one long run for 42 yards, only to have it nullified by a John Asamoah holding penalty. With the Raiders controlling time of possession and the Chiefs unable to move the ball, Charles rushed just three times in the first half. He was unable to get to the second level on the rest of this totes. It's the first time since Week 9 that Charles failed to top 100 scrimmage yards. He's boom-or-bust fantasy option for Week 16 versus the Colts.

Mikel Leshoure rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries in Week 15 versus the Cardinals.

Leshoure added two receptions for a meager four yards on three targets in the passing game. The bruising back returned to his goal-line duties by punching in a one-yard score to open up the game's scoring. No. 2 back Joique Bell played passing downs and generated 37 yards on nine touches. Leshoure hasn't topped 57 yards on the ground in four weeks and is merely just a flex option for Week 16 against the Falcons.

Danario Alexander was held catch-less in the Chargers' Week 15 loss to the Panthers.

He was targeted three times. Philip Rivers had no time to throw against a swarming Carolina defense, and was inaccurate on the rare occasions he did. It's hindsight analysis at this point, but San Diego's offensive dysfunction was bound to catch up to Alexander in the box score. It did -- with a thud -- in fantasy semifinals week. Facing Antonio Cromartie's Jets in Week 16, Alexander will be a riskier roll of the dice in title games.

Brady Quinn completed 18-of-32 passes for 136 yards and an interception at Oakland in Week 15.

Quinn's offense failed to dent the scoreboard against a defense allowing the most points in the NFL. The Chiefs didn't even cross midfield until the third quarter. Quinn had a chance to score late in the game, but ended up taking a delay of game call on 4th-and-goal. He's been held under 200 yards in seven of eight games this season.

Malcom Floyd caught two passes for 39 yards in the Chargers' Week 15 loss to the Panthers.

He secured his only two targets. The Chargers' offense was putrid against Carolina, unable to give Philip Rivers time to throw outside the numbers and instead consistently settling for checkdown completions. Floyd could be a solid week-to-week WR3 if San Diego were able to move the ball like it has in seasons past, but as is he'll be a very weak play in Week 16 against the Jets.

C.J. Spiller rushed 17 times for 103 yards with a touchdown in the Bills' Week 15 loss to the Seahawks.

Spiller and Stevie Johnson were the only two Bills that came to play. Using his uncanny speed and agility, Spiller burst around the edge for a 14-yard score at the end of the first quarter. He ended up with 20 touches while backup Tashard Choice got one. Finally unchained, Spiller will be on the RB1 radar once again in Miami next week. He's now averaging a mind-boggling 6.50 YPC on his 161 totes this year.

Larry Fitzgerald caught just four passes for 22 yards in Arizona's Week 15 win over the Lions.

Fitzgerald tied for the team-lead with his five targets on the day, but none of the Ryan Lindley passes left Fitz much room to work with after-the-catch. The four catches are the most he's caught in a game since Week 9, so that tells us just how awful it's been for one of the league's greats. Fitzgerald just cannot be trusted as a WR3 in fantasy. He'll likely be held to a similar line against the Bears next week.

Antonio Gates caught four balls for 31 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers' Week 15 loss to Carolina.

Gates scored a garbage-time touchdown and was targeted six times in a pathetic offensive effort put forth by San Diego. Showing signs of decline in a dysfunctional Chargers offense, Gates would be a poor TE1 play in Week 16 against the Jets.

Brandon Myers was held to 15 yards on two receptions versus the Chiefs in Week 15.

His 14-yard grab on the last offensive play of the first half set up a 57-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski. Without benefit of garbage time, Myers was held out of the boxscore in the second half. Held under 20 yards in back-to-back games, Myers is no longer a must-start TE1 option heading into Week 16 at Carolina.

Keenan Lewis leaves game with hip injury

12-16-2012

Keenan Lewis CB NO

Steelers LCB Keenan Lewis was forced from Sunday's game against the Cowboys with a hip injury, and is questionable to return.

Lewis was knocked out late in the fourth quarter, and absent for Pittsburgh's final defensive series of regulation. He appears unlikely to return for overtime even though he was spotted trying to convince coach Mike Tomlin to let him return. Already perilously thin at cornerback, Lewis' injury leaves Pittsburgh positively barren.

Chargers RB Curtis Brinkley led the team with 42 yards on six carries and caught three passes for 14 yards in the team's Week 16 loss to Carolina.

Brinkley's role increased due to Ryan Mathews' early second-quarter shoulder injury. A slightly effective checkdown target but practice squad-caliber carrier of the football, Brinkley held down the fort in San Diego's blowout loss. He'll probably get 10-12 touches in Week 16 against the Jets, assuming Mathews and Ronnie Brown (hamstring) are unavailable for that game.

Denarius Moore hauled in five passes for 46 yards versus the Chiefs in Week 15.

Moore had a good shot at a long touchdown, but Carson Palmer underthrew him just in front of the goal line. While his eight targets led the team, Moore was once again outproduced by Rod Streater. He's a high-risk WR3 option against a tough Panthers pass defense in Week 16.

Darrius Heyward-Bey was held without a catch in Week 15 versus the Chiefs.

DHB saw five targets compared to Rod Streater's six and Denarius Moore's eight. Heyward-Bey is playing as many snaps as the other two, but he's been shut out in two of the past four games. He's undeserving of a roster spot in Week 16.

Brandon LaFall was held without a catch in his Week 15 return from turf toe.

He wasn't even targeted. Louis Murphy played in all two-receiver sets over LaFell, who clearly is still struggling with his injury. We wouldn't expect LaFell to be a major factor in the box score for the rest of the season.

Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 21-of-38 passes for 217 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the Bills' 50-17 Week 15 loss to the Seahawks.

It was a typical December performance from Fitzpatrick. He had one interception returned for a touchdown by Earl Thomas and had another nearly taken to the house. He was mercifully removed for the final few minutes in favor of Tyler Thigpen. Over the last five weeks, Fitzpatrick is averaging 184.8 passing yards per game and has thrown just four touchdowns against five interceptions. He'll be a very weak QB2 option again next week in Miami.

Rod Streater led the Raiders with 62 yards on five receptions versus the Chiefs in Week 15.

It's third consecutive game that the rookie has led the team in receiving yards. Only Denarius Moore (8) saw more than Streater's six targets while Darrius Heyward-Bey was held without a catch on five targets. All three are high-risk fantasy plays at Carolina's stout pass defense in Week 16.

Megatron was targeted a whopping 17 times again this week. Patrick Peterson shadowed him for much of the day, and by allowing just four of his catches, keeping Johnson out of the end zone, and getting an interception, we'd have to consider that a "win" for Peterson. Johnson needs just 182 yards to break Jerry Rice's single-season receiving yards record of 1,848 yards. He'll try and do just that next week at home against the Falcons.

Louis Murphy caught two passes for 18 yards in the Panthers' Week 15 win over the Raiders.

Murphy started over Brandon LaFell (questionable, turf toe) and was targeted six times, but secured just two and is a rotational player in Carolina's offense. Murphy should be on waiver wires for the fantasy title week against Oakland.

Greg Olsen caught five balls for 56 yards in the Panthers' Week 15 win over the Chargers.

He was targeted nine times, tying Steve Smith for a team high. The volume of usage was promising, but Olsen made his catches near the line of scrimmage and didn't get free for any big plays. He'll still be a low-end TE1 option when the Panthers host the Raiders in Week 16.

Mike Goodson rushed 13 times for 89 yards and added one reception for 14 yards versus the Chiefs in Week 15.

A week after playing zero snaps, Goodson was the clear change-of-pace to Darren McFadden. The more explosive of the two backs, Goodson broke off a handful of big gains, including a 22-yard run called back on penalty. He's merely a handcuff to McFadden entering Week 16 at Carolina.

Mike Tolbert rushed nine times for 40 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers smeared the Raiders in Week 15.

He added two catches for 24 yards. Tolbert was the goal-line battering ram on two first-quarter plays, executing on each from a yard out. He also showed some burst on runs up the middle. Tolbert won't be much of a fantasy option in Week 16 against the Raiders, but the Panthers seem committed to increasing his role with Jonathan Stewart out of commission. Just keep in mind Carolina had more rushing attempts than usual Sunday after grabbing an early 21-0 lead.

Golden Tate caught three passes for 64 yards in the Seahawks' Week 15 win over the Bills.

Tate saw just four targets on the day as the Seahawks jumped out to a 31-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Considering he hasn't topped six targets since Week 8, Tate will be hard to trust as a WR3 in Week 16. He had no catches when the Seahawks lost to the Niners in Week 7.

He lost one series to Terrell Pryor at the start of the second quarter, which will likely continue to be the case going forward. Palmer underthrew Denarius Moore down the seam on his best chance of a touchdown. CBS analysts remarked that Palmer was battling a cold or flu. With the Chiefs unable to cross midfield by halftime, the Raiders opted to run Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson 43 times in easy victory. With Pryor looming as a nuisance, Palmer won't be a recommended fantasy starter in a tough matchup at Carolina next week.

Matthew Stafford completed just 24-of-50 passes for 246 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions in Detroit's Week 15, 38-10 blowout loss to the Cardinals.

Two of Stafford's three interceptions were returned for touchdowns by the Cardinals, and the last one, in particular, was a back-breaker. Detroit was making their move as they were down by just 14 points with just over 7:00 to play while at the Arizona four-yard line before Stafford unloaded a lame-duck pass in the direction of Kris Durham and Tony Scheffler. Greg Toler picked it off and took it 102 yards the other way to bury the Lions. Stafford targeted Megatron and Scheffler on 24 of his passes. At one point in the second half, a doctor was seen checking Stafford out for a potential concussion on the sideline, so one has to wonder if he was in a bit of a daze. Arizona defenders hit Stafford eight times on the day and sacked him twice. Detroit will host Atlanta next week.

Steve Smith caught six balls for 57 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' Week 15 win over San Diego.

Bottom Line 89 scored his touchdown from four yards out in the third quarter after a bootleg-rollout play by Cam Newton. Smith now has at least 100 yards and/or a touchdown in three consecutive games. Expect the fantasy WR2 to finish strong as the Panthers host a porous Raiders pass defense in Week 16.

DeAngelo Williams rushed for 93 yards on 22 carries and caught two passes for 51 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' Week 15 win over San Diego.

Williams was a chain mover on the ground and made his highlight-reel play on a 45-yard screen pass for a touchdown. Although Williams lacks to "juice" as a runner he once possessed -- unless he's sprung into space by effective blocking -- he's shown enough to be worthy of strong flex consideration in Week 16 against the Raiders. It's a great matchup and his workloads have been right.

Sidney Rice caught four passes for 76 yards in the Seahawks' Week 15 win over the Bills.

Rice's foot was a non-issue. He got open at will and actually had a touchdown reversed in the second half when replays showed his second foot came down well out of bounds. However, owners should be looking for higher upside WR3 options in Week 16. The last time Rice faced the Niners, he managed just two catches for 32 yards.

Darren McFadden churned out 110 yards on 30 carries and added 39 yards on four receptions to lead the Raiders to a 15-0 victory over the Chiefs in Week 15.

McFadden wasn't nearly as explosive as change-of-pace back Mike Goodson, who totaled 103 yards on 14 touches, but he put the offense on his back and moved the chains in a game where both teams had trouble scoring. The 30 carries are a new career-high while the 34 touches and 145 scrimmage yards are season-highs for McFadden. He has another exploitable matchup at Carolina in Week 16, though fantasy owners shouldn't count a monster workload against a team that is playing its best ball of the season.

Robert Turbin rushed 10 times for 31 yards in the Seahawks' Week 15 win over the Bills.

For the second straight week, the Seahawks jumped out to a monster lead and rested Marshawn Lynch for the final 20 minutes. Turbin, who is now averaging 4.28 YPC on the season, remains a mere handcuff.

Cam Newton completed 19-of-33 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns in the Panthers' Week 15 win over the Chargers.

He scrambled four times for seven yards. The Panthers at this point in the season are a team playoff contenders shouldn't want to play. They've shredded San Diego and Atlanta on the road the past two weeks, playing dynamite offense and competitive defense. Newton was "vultured" on two goal-line scores by Mike Tolbert Sunday, but was sharp in the passing game, leading three first-quarter touchdown drives that put the game well out of hand early. Newton has been arguably the NFL's hottest quarterback for the past two months. The Panthers will close out fantasy season versus the hapless Raiders in Week 16.

Marshawn Lynch rushed 10 times for 113 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks' Week 15 win over the Bills.

Lynch ripped through tackles and burst into the secondary every time he touched it. He easily could have had another three-touchdown day, but Russell Wilson ran for three scores and added a four-yard touchdown pass to Zach Miller. For the second straight week, Lynch's services weren't needed for the final 20 minutes as the Seahawks secured a 40-17 lead midway through the third quarter. Expect many more carries but much tougher sledding against the 49ers in Week 16.

Beanie Wells rushed 17 times for 67 yards and three touchdowns in Arizona's Week 15, 38-10 win over the Lions on Sunday.

Wells' three rushing scores were all three offensive touchdowns for the Cardinals, as the defense pitched in with two pick-sixes of Matthew Stafford to account for the other visits to the end zone. Before rushing for a garbage time 31-yard score around the right edge, it was shaping up as a Michael Turner-ish type of afternoon for Wells. Ryan Lindley started under center for Arizona and limited himself to just one interception after throwing five in his previous two starts. As good of an afternoon as it was for Wells, he won't be a recommended fantasy option next week against the Bears. The win snapped Arizona's nine-game losing streak.

Josh Gordon was held to three catches for 27 yards in the Browns' Week 15 loss to the Redskins.

Gordon was an every-down receiver, but managed just three grab on eight targets while dealing with DeAngelo Hall. It's the first time he's been held to less than four catches or 53 yards since Week 9. Gordon will be difficult to trust as a WR3 against the Broncos' dominant defense in Week 16.

Ernie Sims knocked out with concussion

12-16-2012

Ernie Sims LB ARZ

Cowboys ILB Ernie Sims was forced from Dallas' Week 15 game against the Steelers with a concussion.

It's a hard-knock life for Cowboys inside 'backers. Sims was elevated to the starting lineup after Sean Lee and Bruce Carter suffered season-ending injuries. The Cowboys are down to a trio of replacement-level talents opposite Dan Connor.

Alshon Jeffery was held without a catch on four official targets versus the Packers in Week 15.

With the Packers clamping down on Brandon Marshall, Jeffery had an eventful second half while squaring off with CB Sam Shields. The rookie got wide open after throwing Shields to the ground by the facemask, but was overthrown by Jay Cutler. Jeffery did manage to draw a 53-yard pass interference penalty inside the 5-yard line, but was called for four penalties of his own including a pushoff on a would-be touchdown. His impact on the game was far greater than the boxscore indicates. Jeffery can't be trusted as a fantasy option at Arizona in Week 16.

Travis Benjamin caught one pass for a 69-yard touchdown in the Browns' Week 15 loss to the Redskins.

Benjamin found himself singled up out wide against Redskins backup CB Dominique Johnson in the fourth quarter of a blowout. For some reason, Johnson sat on the route and Benjamin just blew past him for his second career touchdown. It was Benjamin's second catch since Week 9.

Brandon Marshall hauled in six of seven targets for 56 yards and a touchdown in Week 15 versus the Packers.

Marshall entered beast mode on his 15-yard touchdown, stiff-arming Packers CB Casey Heyward into the dirt and breaking a tackle. He was shut down the rest of the way, however, forcing Jay Cutler to turn to Alshon Jeffery as his go-to receiver in key situations late in the game. The only receiver with 100-catch seasons in two different uniforms, Marshall already has career-highs in receptions (107), yards (1,398), and touchdowns (10) this season. He draws Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals' stiff pass defense in Week 16.

Montario Hardesty rushed just two times for five yards in the Browns' Week 15 loss to the Redskins.

Trent Richardson continues to plod his way through the second half of the season, but the Browns have no intention of lightening the rookie's workload. Hardesty is nothing more than a handcuff heading into next week's game at Denver.

Matt Forte rushed 20 times for 69 yards and added five receptions for 64 yards versus the Packers in Week 15.

The Bears came out with a run-heavy attack, calling Forte's number on six of the first eight plays. He was up to 60 yards rushing by early in the second quarter only to be shut down on the ground the rest of the way. On a positive note, the receiving yards were a season-high, and Forte's role in the passing game has been on the rise for weeks. He has an excellent matchup in Week 16 against a Cardinals defense that has been burned by fantasy backs over the past six weeks.

Trent Richardson rushed 11 times for 28 yards and two touchdowns in the Browns' Week 15 loss to the Redskins.

Richardson continues to show little burst or wiggle as he's been held under 4.0 YPC for five straight weeks now. But he certainly has power and a nose for the goal-line, as he showed twice in this one. The first score was impressive as he got stacked up at the 3-yard line but still pushed the pile into the end zone. The second score -- his 11th rushing touchdown of the season -- came when he hit it inside from one yard out but then bounced it to the edge. Richardson will be a weak RB2 play in Denver next week as the Browns don't project to be inside the 10-yard line very much.

Jay Cutler completed 12-of-21 passes for 136 yards, one touchdown, and one interception versus the Packers in Week 15.

The interception led directly to a James Jones touchdown just before halftime, although it may have been Devin Hester's fault. The Packers did a nice job of taking Brandon Marshall away in the second half, forcing Cutler to target Alshon Jeffery to the tune of a trio of offensive pass interference penalties and several missed opportunities for big plays. Cutler won't be a fantasy option against Arizona's shut-down pass defense in Week 16.

Brandon Weeden completed 21-of-35 passes for 244 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the Browns' Week 15 loss to the Redskins.

Weeden played like a rookie. Both interceptions can be put on him as he didn't see a linebacker on the first one and threw behind his receiver on the second. Weeden was able to salvage his fantasy day when Travis Benjamin just ran right past Domonique Johnson for a 69-yard bomb with the Browns trailing 31-14 in the fourth quarter. Weeden won't be a QB2 option in a brutal Week 16 matchup at Denver.

Brian Robison has sprained A/C joint

12-16-2012

Brian Robison DE MIN

Vikings DE Brian Robison (shoulder) bas been diagnosed with a sprained A/C joint.

Robison will be re-evaluated later in the week, but it's quite possible he'll be unavailable for Minnesota's final two regular season games. Everson Griffen played well in Robison's absence Sunday, intercepting Sam Bradford and taking it to the house for six points.

Jermichael Finley caught five of six targets for 61 yards at Chicago in Week 15.

His 31-yard catch down the seam in the fourth quarter tied Randall Cobb's leaping sideline grab for longest play of the game. Finley has reached 60 yards in three of the past five games after hitting the mark just once in the first nine games of the season. He remains a TE2 option for Week 16 versus the Titans.

Randall Cobb led the Packers with eight targets, six receptions, and 115 yards at Chicago in Week 15.

Cobb was a non-factor in the return game, but the receiving yards are a new career-high. He made a spectacular leaping sideline grab on a 31-yard back-shoulder throw. Cobb also broke free just in front of the goal line for a potential touchdown, but Aaron Rodgers' throw bounced of his outstretched fingertips. Cobb needs 108 yards over the final two weeks to become the first player in NFL history with 1,000 yards apiece receiving and kickoff returns.

Leonard Hankerson caught two passes for 56 yards with two touchdowns in the Redskins' Week 15 win over the Browns.

Hankerson made the most of his two targets. His first score came when he blew past Sheldon Brown and Kirk Cousins threaded the needle between three Browns for a 54-yard score in the first quarter. His second touchdown came on a simple goal-line bootleg from Cousins. Don't chase these plays as Hankerson continues to rotate with Josh Morgan opposite No. 1 target Pierre Garcon.

Santana Moss caught five passes for 57 yards in the Redskins' Week 15 win over the Browns.

Moss operated strictly in three-wide sets out of the slot. He is the Redskins' go-to-guy on wideout screens, but it's not a reliable role for fantasy owners. Moss has a total of 12 catches for 151 yards and one touchdown in the last four weeks.

Alex Green rushed 13 times for just 35 yards and added two receptions for six yards at Chicago in Week 15.

Green's longest run went for just eight yards while backup Ryan Grant had a 14-yard jaunt and change-of-pace back DuJuan Harris peeled off a 21-yard gain. It was a true committee attack against what had been a reeling Bears run defense. Grant had 8 carries for 32 yards, Harris toted the ball 5 times for 27 yards, and John Kuhn rushed twice. That should remain the recipe going forward. Green is no more than a flex option versus the Titans in Week 16.

Pierre Garcon caught six passes for 65 yards in the Redskins' Week 15 win over the Browns.

Garcon had a couple things working his way. He was not shadowed by Joe Haden, and Kirk Cousins performed far better than anyone could have imagined. It resulted in a healthy 12 targets and a few near misses on big plays. No matter who is under center against the Eagles in Week 16, Garcon will be a WR2 option. He now has 32 targets in the last three weeks.

Austin Pettis caught five passes for 55 yards in St. Louis' Week 15 loss to the Vikings.

The five-catch effort was Pettis' second straight, while the yards were a season high. Pettis is slowly becoming a bigger part of the Rams offense, but he won't be an intriguing late-round flier in fantasy drafts next summer.

Aaron Rodgers completed 23-of-36 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns at Chicago in Week 15.

Against one of the league's premier pass defenses, Rodgers produced his best game in two months. Consistently forced out of the pocket, Rodgers found James Jones for a trio of touchdowns after tossing just two total in his past three games combined. The 36 attempts and 116.8 passer rating are Rodgers' highest figures since Week 7. Drew Brees is the only QB with more than Rodgers' 32 touchdown passes this season. He's back on solid fantasy footing for Week 16 versus the Titans.

Joseph Morgan caught two passes for 61 yards and a touchdown in Week 15 against the Bucs.

Morgan only averaged 30.5 yards-per-reception on Sunday, so that will lower his astronomical YPR rate to just 41.2. He's not a fantasy option in re-draft leagues, but Morgan is someone to keep in mind for the future.

Martellus Bennett was held to 15 yards on one reception and two targets at Atlanta in Week 15.

Bennett was shut down right along with the rest of the Giants offense. He lost a second reception of nine yards when replay determined that the ball hit the ground. Bennett is just a borderline TE1 option at Baltimore in Week 16.

Pierre Thomas rushed for just 13 yards on four carries in Week 15 versus the Bucs.

Thomas added three receptions for 26 yards, but Mark Ingram dominated the backfield carries for the second-straight week. Ingram out-carried Thomas 14-4 on Sunday. Thomas has worked his way into fantasy wasteland with Ingram capitalizing on the opportunities he's given.

Domenik Hixon led the Giants with five receptions and 80 yards at Atlanta in Week 15.

His six targets were second only to Hakeem Nicks' team-leading seven. Hixon provided the lone passing-game highlight with a 37-yard catch-and-run, which led one of a trio of failed fourth-down conversion attempts by the Giants. Hixon remains unworthy of a roster spot in fantasy leagues.

Anquan Boldin was held without a catch in the Ravens' Week 15 loss to the Broncos.

Boldin was the target on a goal-line out pattern that was picked off by Chris HArris and taken 98 yards to the house. It was an awful throw and decision, but it was another case of Boldin not getting separation. He ended up with six targets and didn't even see much of Champ Bailey. There won't be much upside in Boldin against the Giants in Week 16.

Raiders CB Adams forced out with head injury

12-16-2012

Phillip Adams CB ATL

Raiders CB Phillip Adams was forced from Sunday's game with a head injury.

Adams was sent to the locker room for testing after a hard collision. He was just concussed two weeks ago, so the Raiders are sure to exercise caution.

It's terrible news for a Rams' offensive line that's been inept most of the season, but particularly so in Sunday's loss. The missed games will be Dahl's first since he signed with the Rams in 2010. Dahl entered Week 15 as a top-30 guard in Pro Football Focus' ratings. It's unclear how the Rams will shuffle their line in his absence.

Lance Kendricks caught three passes for 35 yards in St. Louis' Week 15 loss to the Vikings.

The three-catch, 30-yard effort was Kendricks' third straight, while the touchdown was his third of the year. Kendricks has been slowly stabilizing his "real-life" value, but hasn't done anything to suggest he'll be a fantasy factor in 2013.

Clark tied for the team-lead with Vincent Jackson with his 12 targets. The Saints effectively shut down the outside passing attack, so Josh Freeman continually looked in the direction of his tight end. Clark shouldn't see 12 targets on another Sunday this season. He's no more than a TE2 against the Rams next week.

Victor Cruz was held to 15 yards on three receptions and five targets at Atlanta in Week 15.

Eli Manning attempted just 25 passes and was limited primarily to dumpoffs in Cruz's direction. Cruz missed a few plays for sideline concussion tests after Falcons S Chris Hope launched his body into the receiver's head over the middle. Cruz did return and seemed none the worse for the wear. Look for a bounce-back game at Baltimore in Week 16.

Williams hauled in four of his seven targets, but he couldn't secure a couple of end zone throws that could have put the Bucs on the scoreboard. Williams got both feet in bounds late in the contest, but he couldn't keep control of the football as his elbow smacked the turf. He's really only a fantasy option in touchdown-heavy leagues.

Brian Quick caught two passes for 12 yards and a touchdown in St. Louis' Week 15 loss to the Vikings.

The Rams finally decided to take advantage of their rookie wideout's 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame in the second quarter, lofting him a jump ball in the end zone. Going up against 5-10 CB Josh Robinson, Quick easily pulled it down for his second score of the year. However, his snaps remained extremely limited while the two-catch effort was only his second of 2012. The No. 33 pick is an interesting Dynasty-league case heading into the offseason. He's done just enough to remain a "hold."

Nicks got a step on his defender downfield early in the game, only to have Eli Manning slightly overthrow him. He had a shot at a long score on a slant play later, but Thomas DeCoud tripped him up with nothing but daylight in front of him. This is the sixth time this season that Nicks has failed to top 50 yards. He's just a WR3 option for Week 16 at Baltimore.

Ray Rice rushed 12 times for 38 yards and caught three passes for three yards in the Ravens' Week 15 loss to the Broncos.

Even with Cam Cameron gone, the Ravens' offense was nothing short of inept. Their first five drives consisted of one fumble by Joe Flacco and four three-and-outs. By the time Rice turned around, his team was down 31-3 and had to take to the air. Look for a bounce-back performance against the Giants next week. It doesn't hurt that Rice's backup, Bernard Pierce, sustained a concussion Sunday.

He wasn't merely relegated to passing-down duties. Lumpkin spelled David Wilson for a series here and there, including one successful stretch with a series of draw plays. He ended up losing a fumble 20+ yards down the field after John Abraham punched it out. That won't win him any favors with coach Tom Coughlin. Lumpkin is unworthy of a fantasy roster spot entering Week 16.

Lance Moore caught four passes for 42 yards and a touchdown in the Saints' Week 15 win over the Bucs.

Moore hauled in all but one of his targets on Sunday afternoon. His score was of the seven-yard variety at the tail end of the first half to put the Saints up by a score of 24-0 heading into the locker room. It was the easiest of easy touchdowns as Moore sat right in the end zone in front of Bucs S Ahmad Black. He'll remain a weekly WR3 as the season winds down. New Orleans travels to Dallas in Week 16.

Chris Givens caught just one pass for 22 yards in St. Louis' Week 15 loss to the Vikings.

Givens could have had a much bigger afternoon, but Sam Bradford overshot him on a would-be 39-yard touchdown in the second quarter. As it is, Givens' four targets were just seventh on the team. He's drawn only 14 looks over his past two games after racking up 14 in Week 13 alone. The deep threat can't be trusted as a WR3 for Week 16, even against Tampa's abysmal pass defense.

David Wilson rushed 12 times for 55 yards and added one reception for 11 yards at Atlanta in Week 15.

Wilson appeared to be on his way to a big game with a 25-yard run early, but the Giants never could sustain long drives. Wilson ceded a couple of series to Kregg Lumpkin, and the G-Men were forced to abandon the run after the Falcons went up 24-0 early in the third quarter. We wouldn't let this game scare you off Wilson at Baltimore next week if Ahmad Bradshaw misses another game. The Giants aren't likely to post a second straight offensive dud.

Per beat writer Michael Gehlken, Mathews' return is questionable. Expected to be San Diego's every-snap back Sunday with Ronnie Brown inactive, Mathews racked up seven touches early, gaining 30 yards before the injury. The Bolts now figure to turn to Jackie Battle and Curtis Brinkley at tailback.

John Carlson caught three passes for 17 yards in Minnesota's Week 15 win over the Rams.

The multi-catch effort was Carlson's first of the season. The colossal free-agent bust now has eight grabs for 43 yards on the year. Although Carlson signed his five-year, $25 million deal just last March, expect the Vikings to re-evaluate his Minnesota future in the offseason.

Kyle Rudolph got three passes for 22 yards in Minnesota's Week 15 win over the Rams.

Back-up John Carlson took a bite out of Rudolph's stat-line, posting his first multi-catch effort of the season. Coming off a zero-grab Week 14, Rudolph was targeted just four times as the Vikes leaned on Adrian Peterson. Rudolph can't be counted on as a TE1 for fantasy championship week.

Colston was targeted just the three times on the day, and he was pretty much a non-factor after halftime. Drew Brees was working the underneath routes with Darren Sproles while taking advantage of Jimmy Graham over the deep middle. After scoring at will over the season's first 12 weeks, Colston hasn't found the end zone in the last three games. He'll look to change that next week against the Cowboys.

Eli Manning completed 13-of-25 passes for 161 yards and two interceptions at Atlanta in Week 15.

Credit Falcons DC Mike Nolan with another excellent game plan. Manning was under duress all afternoon, unable to get any good looks down the field. When he wasn't settling for dumpoffs, Manning put his team behind the eight-ball with a pair of early-game interceptions. It's the first time in Eli's regular-season career that he's been shut out. He has another tough matchup at Baltimore in Week 16.

Brandon Gibson caught six passes for 76 yards in St. Louis' Week 15 loss to the Vikings.

Gibson muffed a possible seventh catch, but actually managed to carry over some of the momentum from his 6/100/1 Week 14. The fourth-year pro has traditionally had trouble stringing together back-to-back good plays, let alone games. However, with Danny Amendola now back in the fold, Gibson won't be on the radar as a low-end WR3 against the Bucs' horrendous pass defense in Week 16.

Owen Daniels caught four balls for 40 yards in the Texans' Week 15 win over the Colts.

He was targeted seven times, predominantly around the line of scrimmage and over the middle. Daniels typically needs to secure a deep seam pass or red-zone score to pay off as an elite fantasy tight end week to week. He simply did not do that against the Colts, as Houston controlled the game all day and was never forced to air it out. Daniels will continue to be a mid-range TE1 starter when the Texans face the Vikings' Cover-2 defense in Week 16.

Joe Flacco completed 20-of-40 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Ravens' Week 15 loss to the Broncos.

Flacco racked up most of his yardage and the two touchdown passes to Dennis Pitta after the Ravens were down 31-3. Before that, it was a woeful performance. He started with a fumble on a quarterback sneak, then led four straight three-and-outs. The icing on the cake was an atrocious throw at the goal-line at the end of the first half that was returned 98 yards for a touchdown. So much for Cam Cameron being the problem here. Flacco will be a shaky QB2 against the Giants next week -- especially if Torrey Smith (concussion) can't get cleared.

Matt Schaub completed 23-of-31 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown as the Texans downed the Colts in Week 15.

Schaub was efficient and targeted Andre Johnson heavily, which translated to success for Houston's offense, if not specifically for Schaub's box-score production. The Texans are the NFL's run-heaviest offense, and that's why there's a weekly lid on Schaub's fantasy upside, even if he's capable of racking up yards and TDs if game flow calls for it any given week. Schaub will be a high-end QB2 when the Texans host the Vikings in Week 16.

Andre Johnson caught 11 balls for 151 yards and a touchdown as the Texans defeated the Colts 29-17 in Week 15.

He was targeted 13 times, a game high on either side of the ball. Johnson was truly dominant against Colts top CB Vontae Davis, consistently winning 50:50 balls in the air and scoring from three yards out on a rub route deep in the red zone. Johnson has reasserted himself at age 31 as a top-five NFL receiver and likely future Hall of Famer. The Texans host the Vikings next.

Ben Tate rushed five times for 13 yards in the Texans' Week 15 win over the Colts.

He was not targeted in the passing game. Justin Forsett had zero carries in Week 15, confirming that Tate has retaken the No. 2 back role behind Arian Foster. Leave Tate on fantasy benches as Houston takes on Minnesota in Week 16.

Tony Gonzalez hauled in six of seven targets for 49 yards and a touchdown versus the Giants in Week 15.

Gonzalez used his wide body and basketball leaping ability to sky over Giants S Will Hill for a 12-yard touchdown that staked the Falcons to a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter. His 87 receptions, 880 yards, and eight touchdowns this season are all the highest totals he's posted since joining the Falcons. He remains a top-five tight end for Week 16 at Detroit.

Arian Foster rushed 27 times for 165 yards and caught two passes for four yards in the Texans' Week 15 win over Indianapolis.

We'll take 169 total yards from our RB1 most weeks, but this one could have been bigger. Foster had a 27-yard touchdown called back due to a holding penalty by LG Wade Smith in the second half. Foster did salvage fantasy points by racking up big-time runs late in the fourth quarter against a tired-out Colts defense. The Texans host the Vikings in Week 16. Despite a tougher matchup, keep trotting out Foster as a top-three running back play.

Roddy White was held to 16 yards on two catches versus the Giants in Week 15.

Don't blame White's knee injury for the disappointing performance. The Falcons went run-heavy in the first half, and White was double covered on his one "shot play" down the field in the second half. Tony Gonzalez's team-leading seven targets were only two more than White's five. Expect a bounce-back game at Detroit in Week 16.

Donnie Avery caught three passes for 37 yards in the Colts' Week 15 loss to the Texans.

He was targeted five times. Avery has been a maddeningly inconsistent fantasy player this year, mixing in a handful of big games with more-common clunkers. He should be on waiver wires as Indy travels to Kansas City in Week 16.

Vincent Jackson caught six passes for a team-high 81 yards in Sunday's Week 15 blowout loss to the Saints.

Jackson was targeted a game-high 12 times, but he didn't catch a single pass until late in the third quarter when the game was well out of hand. V-Jax saw a couple of end zone balls come his way, but he couldn't reel in any of the jump balls. The entire Tampa Bay offense was a complete mess right out of the gate, but they'll look to get on track against the Rams at home in Week 16.

Harvin's "minor surgery" was initially believed to be a cleanup ankle procedure. However, the news doesn't change anything from a recovery perspective, as appendectomies typically require only 2-3 weeks of recuperation. It's still possible Harvin will eventually require an ankle procedure, but he should be 100 percent well before training camp. His Dynasty value is unchanged.

Kirk Cousins completed 26-of-37 passes for 329 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Redskins' 38-21 Week 15 win in Cleveland.

RG who? Cousins was wildly impressive in his NFL starting debut as he showed underrated mobility and a calmness in the pocket not normally found in fourth-round rookies. He was deadly on bootlegs, putting a 54-yard touchdown on the money to Leonard Hankerson between three defenders. He also went through his progressions and ended up hitting eight different receivers. The performance will make it easier for the Redskins to keep Griffin out of harm's way at Philadelphia in Week 16 if they wish. But with the NFC East title in their sights, expect RG3 to do everything he can to push his way onto the field.

Coby Fleener caught one pass for 21 yards in the Colts' Week 15 loss to the Texans.

It was his lone target. Fleener's return from a midseason ankle injury has sapped Dwayne Allen's fantasy value, but has translated to no value for Fleener himself. Leave Fleener on the waiver wire for fantasy finals week as the Colts match up with Kansas City on the road.

Jacquizz Rodgers managed just 25 yards on 11 carries and added one reception for 14 yards versus the Giants in Week 15.

Quizz took a backseat to Michael Turner with the Falcons in plum field position in the first half. While it was a good sign that he was heavily incorporated in the second half, he faced a defense gearing up to stop the run in a game lopsided in Atlanta's favor. Quizz remains no more than a flex option for Week 16 at Detroit.

Returning from a two-game absence, Danny Amendola (heel) caught six passes for 58 yards and a touchdown in St. Louis' Week 15 loss to the Vikings.

He added a grab on a two-point conversion. Despite playing just seven snaps since Week 10, Amendola picked up where he left off before going down, drawing a whopping 12 targets from Sam Bradford. St. Louis' No. 1 receiver looked no worse for the wear on his gimpy foot, and appears to have escaped without further injury. He'll be a juicy WR2 in Week 16 against the Bucs' pathetic pass defense.

Dwayne Allen caught three balls for 36 yards and a touchdown in the Colts' Week 15 loss to the Texans.

Allen has not been targeted regularly since Coby Fleener's return, but he was efficient on Sunday, securing all three of the balls thrown his way. Although Allen is a very promising and versatile young player, he will not be a strong TE1 option in fantasy finals week when the Colts visit to Arrowhead Stadium.

Jimmy Graham caught five passes for a team-high 69 yards in New Orleans' Week 15 win over the Bucs.

Graham was targeted nine times on the day, but only of them came in the end zone. Back-up tight end David Thomas caught both of his targets and turned one of them into an opening-drive nine-yard score. Graham hasn't visited the end zone since Week 11, and he'll look to snap that drought next week in Dallas.

T.Y. Hilton caught three passes for 78 yards and a touchdown in the Colts' Week 15 loss to the Texans.

Hilton blew past sleeping Texans dime-package safety Quintin Demps for his 61-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Targeted six times, Hilton continues to be a superior week-to-week fantasy bet than Donnie Avery. Consider Hilton a high-upside WR3 when the Colts face the Chiefs in Week 16.

Demaryius Thomas caught four passes for just 13 yards in the Broncos' Week 15 win over the Ravens.

Thomas was unlucky not to have a big-time game. Early on, he found himself wide open behind the secondary but Peyton Manning overthrew him by a yard. Later, he appeared to be open on a deep post in the end zone but Ravens CB Cary Williams made a great play to tip the ball away at the last minute. After that, the Broncos took the air out of the ball. Don't hesitate to use Thomas as a WR1 in Week 16.

Michael Turner rushed 16 times for 52 yards and a touchdown and added one reception for nine yards versus the Giants in Week 15.

Turner finished the game with a per-carry average of just 3.3, but it was one of his finest performances of the season. He set the tone in the first half, powering through the middle of the Giants defense after a pair of Eli Manning interceptions. Turner could have added another score, but he was stuffed at the goal line. Although he has a touchdown in five straight games thanks to in large part to the passing attack, Turner is no more than a flex option at Detroit in Week 16.

Coming off a two-week lull, S-Jax looked angry and sprightly against the Vikings' solid front seven, but the Rams had to abandon the run after entering halftime down 30-7. However, Jackson remained a part of the game-plan by doing major damage on screens in the passing game. He now has 14 catches over his past three games after entering Week 13 with just 17 grabs. If Jackson is going to make an impact in Week 16, it will likely be as a pass catcher, as he'll be contending with Tampa's elite run defense.

Sam Bradford completed 35-of-55 passes for 377 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in St. Louis' Week 15 loss to the Vikings.

He also lost a fumble. The yards were a career-high for St. Louis' third-year signal caller, but more a product of the Rams having two quarters of garbage time than his effectiveness. St. Louis entered the break down 30-7 thanks in large part to a Bradford's fumble and pick six. 237 of Bradford's yards came after the break. Bradford continues to flash signs of progress, but remains far too inconsistent his accuracy, if not his decision-making. Thankfully for Rams fans, he'll get Tampa's absurdly bad pass defense in Week 16.

Reggie Wayne was held to 14 yards on three receptions in the Colts' Week 15 loss to the Texans.

Wayne was essentially a non-factor outside of drawing a couple of first-half pass interference penalties, although it wasn't because Johnathan Joseph shadowed Wayne all over the field, as ESPN reported he would pre-game. The Texans mixed coverages against the Colts, and Wayne simply failed to get open as Houston often had him double teamed or bracketed. Expect Wayne to bounce back in Week 16 at Kansas City. The Chiefs unfailingly "play sides" at cornerback, so Wayne will not be shadowed by LCB Brandon Flowers.

Vick Ballard rushed 18 times for 105 yards in the Colts' Week 15 loss to the Texans.

The Colts ought to be kicking themselves for using Mewelde Moore at all. Moore (four rushes, six yards) got a first-half goal-line carry ahead of Ballard and was stripped by J.J. Watt, costing Indianapolis at least three points and probably seven. Meanwhile, Ballard ran with power and competitiveness between the tackles, and is clearly Indianapolis' best running back. He'll be worth a long look as a flex play in Week 16 at Kansas City.

Andrew Luck completed 13-of-27 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns as the Colts fell to the Texans in Week 15.

He also scrambled twice for ten yards. Luck didn't come away with a terrible fantasy stat line, but there was no magical fourth-quarter comeback this week. The Texans dominated the Colts' offensive line in the trenches, as J.J. Watt racked up three sacks and a forced fumble while OLB Connor Barwin and RE Antonio Smith also chipped in a sack apiece. Expect a more productive day from Luck when the Colts travel to Kansas City in Week 16.

Eric Decker caught eight passes for 133 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos' Week 15 win over the Ravens.

Decker was dominant. He came up three inches short of a touchdown in the second quarter when replays showed he stepped out of bounds just before tapping the pylon. Later, he burned Cary Williams on a pretty stutter-and-go move for a 51-yard touchdown. Decker now has 17 catches on 20 targets in the last two weeks and will be a high-upside WR3 against the Browns in Week 16.

Mark Ingram rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries against the Bucs in New Orleans' Week 15 win.

The 90 yards on the ground were one yard shy of tying a career-high which he set in Week 7 last season. His longest run of the day was a 31-yarder and is currently a season-long. Ingram has now out-carried his running back mates for two straight weeks and looks to be entrenched as the lead back for the final two games of the year. However, he's still not a recommended flex option in an ever-changing New Orleans backfield. The Saints travel to Dallas in Week 16.

Brian Hartline caught five balls for a team-high 77 yards in the Dolphins' Week 15 win over the Jaguars.

Hartline exited Sunday's game in the fourth quarter with an apparent ankle injury. Before going down, Hartline was Miami's most effective outside receiver, racking up catches against Jaguars LCB Rashean Mathis. With his health in doubt and Stephon Gilmore next on the slate, Hartline will not be a recommended WR3 in fantasy finals week against the Bills.

Christian Ponder had another middling day in Minnesota's Week 15 win over the Rams, completing 17-of-24 passes for just 131 yards and zero touchdowns.

He did find the end zone on a five-yard run in the first quarter. Ponder didn't turn the ball over, but again did his best to hold the Vikings offense hostage. He finished with fewer passing yards than Adrian Peterson rushing yards for the third consecutive game, and never came close to challenging downfield. Almost unimaginably for the modern NFL, Ponder has eclipsed 159 yards passing just twice in his past eight games. His Dynasty light is flickering.

Marcedes Lewis was held to three catches for eight yards in the Jaguars' Week 15 loss to the Dolphins.

Lewis has finished back-to-back games with single-digit yardage and would be a poor TE1 bet in Week 16 against the Patriots, despite the fact that New England has given up a ton of fantasy points to tight ends this season.

Jacob Hester rushed seven times for 20 yards with a touchdown in the Broncos' Week 15 win over the Ravens.

The Broncos lined up for a first-and-goal from the three-inch line in a split-I formation. The handoff went to Hester from the fullback spot and he got in with ease. The versatile lead-blocker will get a few more short-yardage chances against the Browns next week.

Justin Blackmon caught six balls for 93 yards in the Jaguars' Week 15 loss to the Dolphins.

And his day could have been much bigger. Backup OT Guy Whimper cost Blackmon a 27-yard touchdown when Whimper failed to report as eligible, and Blackmon also had a pretty catch down the left sideline for a would-be gain of about 25 called back due to a holding penalty at the line of scrimmage. Continuing to show signs of improvement after a painfully slow start, Blackmon will be a viable WR3 when the Jaguars host New England in Week 16.

Ronnie Hillman rushed 14 times for 29 yards in the Broncos' Week 15 win over the Ravens.

Hillman played sparingly behind a red-hot Knowshon Moreno when the game was close. In short yardage, Jacob Hester was the man. That left Hillman to rack up usage in garbage time when the Ravens knew the run was coming. He's not worth holding in re-draft formats as fantasy football enters its final week.

Cecil Shorts returned from a concussion in Week 15 to catch six balls for a team-high 101 yards in the Jaguars' loss to the Dolphins.

Shorts flashed his big-play talent on intermediate shots down the seam. He's now posted either a touchdown or 100-plus receiving yards in seven of his last eight games. Even in an otherwise untrustworthy Jaguars offense, Shorts will be difficult to keep on fantasy benches in a Week 16 matchup with the Patriots.

Jaguars RB Montell Owens rushed 11 times for 47 yards and caught a pass for a gain of six in the team's Week 15 loss to Miami.

Owens isn't a terrible player, but he lacks any hint of big-play ability and has been a minimal factor in the passing game through two starts. The Dolphins' heavyweight defense stifled Owens on first-quarter runs, before Jacksonville turned to the passing game due to a scoreboard deficit. Owens will remain a weak flex option when the Jaguars host the Patriots in Week 16.

Peyton Manning completed 17-of-28 passes for 204 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the Broncos' Week 15 win over the Ravens.

Manning just missed two long touchdown passes to Demaryius Thomas, overthrowing him once and getting the ball barely nicked away by Cary Williams on the second. Otherwise, he was very sharp. He hit Eric Decker for a pretty 51-yard touchdown on a double move and consistently threaded the needle up the seam. If the Broncos didn't jump out to a 31-3 lead midway through the third quarter, Manning would have had much bigger numbers. He'll be a strong QB1 play against the Browns in Week 16.

Josh Freeman completed 26-of-47 passes for 279 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions to go along with a lost fumble as the Bucs were stomped out 41-0 by the Saints in Week 15.

All four of Freeman's interceptions were picked off by the Saints in the red zone, while all four were terrible throws that weren't even close to being completions to his receivers. Sunday's game had the makings of a shootout for both offenses, but Tampa Bay's failed to show up. With Freeman displaying zero ability to beat the Saints through the air, New Orleans stacked the box early on and gobbled up Doug Martin for minimal gains. Martin finished the day with a lousy nine-carry, 16-yard rushing line. Freeman and the Bucs will look to right the ship and finish the season strong when the Rams come to town in Week 16.

Ryan made a perfect pass to Tony Gonzalez for a 12-yard touchdown, but was otherwise quiet in the first half. He came back in the second half with a pair of scores to Julio Jones while efficiently picking up apart the Giants defense and burning the clock. Ryan's passer rating of 142.6 was the highest of the season and the second-best single-game figure in his career. Breaking his own single-season franchise record, Ryan now has 4,202 yards and 27 touchdowns. He remains a top-10 fantasy QB for Week 16 at Detroit.

Chad Henne completed 18-of-34 passes for 221 yards and rushed three times for 16 yards in the Jaguars' Week 15 loss to Miami.

Henne was wholly ineffective against Miami, failing to move the offense outside of two-minute drills at the end of the first and second halves. Henne has gone from kick-starting the Jaguars' offense to being a detriment to it, even if Cecil Shorts (6-101) and Justin Blackmon (6-93) were able to come away with productive Week 15 games. Henne will continue to be a low-end QB2 when Jacksonville hosts Bill Belichick's Patriots in Week 16.

Adrian Peterson continued his march toward 2,000 rushing yards and Eric Dickerson's single-season record in Minnesota's 36-22 Week 15 win over the Rams, carrying the ball 24 times for 212 yards and a touchdown.

Knowshon Moreno rushed 22 times for 118 yards with a touchdown in the Broncos' 34-17 Week 15 win over the Ravens.

Moreno looks incredibly powerful and fresh. The highlight of his day came in the second quarter when he literally leaped over Ed Reed, who was nearly standing straight up. Moreno scored his second touchdown in as many weeks when he walked in untouched from seven yards out midway through the third quarter. With Peyton Manning setting up massive holes in the run game, there's a really high floor here. Moreno will be a RB1 candidate in a home game against the Browns Week 16.

Anthony Fasano caught six balls for 56 yards and a touchdown in the Dolphins' Week 16 win over Jacksonville.

Fasano was the box-score beneficiary of Davone Bess' (back) inactivity, hauling in a red-zone score and playing in the slot often. Fasano will still be difficult to trust as a desperation tight end play in Week 16 against the Bills. He lacks playmaking ability and has been a fantasy non-factor all year.

Drew Brees completed 26-of-39 passes for 307 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions as the Saints crushed the Bucs 41-0 in Week 15.

It was a simple cake walk for Brees and the New Orleans offense. On the opening series, Brees completed all five of his passes for 67 yards and a score to David Thomas. It was smooth and breezy sailing from there. It didn't matter who Brees threw to, the Bucs were effectively terrible in pass coverage. The four scores went to Thomas, Darren Sproles, Lance Moore, and Joseph Morgan in that order. Chase Daniel came in to play half of the fourth quarter. It was an all-around easy day as Brees probably didn't even break a sweat. The Saints will head to Dallas in Week 16.

Dolphins rookie RB Lamar Miller rushed six times for 18 yards and caught a two-yard pass in Miami's Week 15 win over Jacksonville.

Miller has no re-draft fantasy value, but he's passed Daniel Thomas on the depth chart and that's promising news for his long-term outlook. The Dolphins host the Bills in Week 16. Look for Miller in the primary change-of-pace role again.

Daniel Thomas rushed just once for six yards in the Dolphins' Week 15 win over the Jaguars.

He played behind Lamar Miller for the second straight week. Thomas was a committee back with Reggie Bush around midseason, but he's being phased out of the offense now. We wonder if the 2011 second-round pick might be cut by the Dolphins this offseason. Thomas has no fantasy value for Week 16 versus Buffalo.

Reggie Bush rushed 21 times for 104 yards in the Dolphins' Week 15 win over Jacksonville.

Bush's highlight run was a 53-yarder, but he otherwise did a solid job of moving the chains and showed highly impressive burst with room to run. It's still confounding why the Dolphins don't use him more in the passing game, but Bush is running at a high level again and will be a solid flex play in Week 16 against the Bills. Onetime committee partner Daniel Thomas has been all but phased out of the offense since a Week 13 fumble. Thomas had one carry for six yards against the Jags.

James Jones exploded for a career-high three touchdowns on seven targets, five receptions and 60 yards to lead the Packers to a 21-13 victory at Chicago in Week 15.

No receiver causes his fantasy owners to pull out their hair more than Jones, who only produces big games when he's left on the bench. Jones got the scoring started with a 29-yard grab and came back with an 8-yard score just before halftime following a Jay Cutler interception. After a high pass through Jones' hands, Aaron Rodgers found him just inside the pylon for a 6-yard touchdown in the middle of the third quarter. Jones has a fine matchup in Week 16 versus the Titans, but he's made a habit of following up big games with an air ball.

Ryan Tannehill completed 22-of-28 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns as the Dolphins downed the Jaguars in Week 15.

He added eight rushes for 52 yards. A lost fumble was Tannehill's lone turnover. Tannehill spread the ball around effectively to eight different receivers, even without Davone Bess (back), and kept the chains moving all day with plenty of time to throw against a pass rush-bereft Jacksonville defense. Tannehill's TD-to-INT ratio on the season improves to 10:12. He's going to be a fantasy asset when the Dolphins acquire better receivers. Miami hosts Buffalo in Week 16.

Sidney Rice (foot) is active for Sunday's game against the Bills, as expected.

Rice got a full practice in on Friday and appears reasonably close to 100 percent. However, we're expecting a run-heavy approach out of the Seahawks, leaving Rice as a shaky WR3. He hasn't gone over 100 yards all season.

CB Morris Claiborne (concussion) is out. It became clear as the week progressed that Bryant would suit up, but the question remains his effectiveness. The Cowboys hope a combination of tape and a pain injection will enable their white-hot WR1 to catch passes, but it's still possible he could be reduced to glorified-decoy status. Nevertheless, Bryant has simply been playing too well to be benched under any circumstance. Also inactive for the Cowboys are RB Phillip Tanner, G Kevin Kowalksi, C David Arkin, OT Darrion Weems, DT Jay Ratliff and S Charlie Peprah.

Coach Romeo Crennell upbraided reporters late in the week for misconstruing his words when he said Breaston has been inactive because he needs a better understanding of the game plan. Breaston remains persona non grata even with Dwayne Bowe out for the season. Jon Baldwin, Dexter McCluster, Terrence Coppper, and Jamar Newsome will vie for whatever scant production is available in the passing game.

Taylor and Allen's absence leaves Pittsburgh perilously thin at cornerback. Keenan Lewis and Curtis Brown should get the call against Dez Bryant and Miles Austin. The Steelers will get first-round rookie OG David DeCastro (knee surgery) back, however. He'll start and make his NFL debut at right guard.

The Seahawks are thin in the secondary as they'll be without suspended Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond (hamstring) as well. The rest of their inactives: WR Deon Butler, CB DeShawn Shead, G Rishaw Johnson, T Mike Person and DT Jaye Howard.

Brian Robison knocked out w/ shoulder issue

12-16-2012

Brian Robison DE MIN

Vikings DE Brian Robison was forced from Sunday's game against the Rams with a shoulder injury, and will not return.

Robison went down early in the first quarter, and was formally ruled out at halftime. Everson Griffen has seen an uptick in snaps in Robison's absence, and responded with a pick-six of Sam Bradford. Robison was immediately shuttled to the locker room upon going down, so it's possible he's suffered a season-ending injury.

Brown is sitting out with a hamstring injury, which figures to vault Ryan Mathews into the every-down back role. Brown has been playing 50 percent of San Diego's running back snaps this year, and sometimes more. The Chargers will be without two starting offensive linemen against Carolina's underrated front four.

Arizona will start Ryan Lindley under center on Sunday with John Skelton backing him up. Hoyer should get his shot in due time after what will likely be another masterfully bad effort by the dreadful duo against Detroit. Doucet is out with a concussion.

Torrey Smith left Sunday's Week 15 game against the Broncos in the third quarter with an undisclosed injury.

Smith leaped high to try to make a catch over Champ Bailey. On his way down, he landed hard on his hip and also banged the back of his head into the turf. He was clearly shook up and was quickly taken to the locker room. Smith had one catch for 14 yards on three targets before leaving.

Brandon Pettigrew (ankle) is inactive for Sunday's Week 15 game against the Cardinals.

Tony Scheffler and Will Heller will handle the tight end spots. Scheffler is a good bet to see double-digit targets while working all over the field. Rotoworld ranks him as this week's No. 8 tight end. Pettigrew suffered a high-ankle sprain and will be week-to-week. Also inactive for the Lions are DT Nick Fairley, QB Kellen Moore, OLs Corey Hilliard and Jason Fox, DE Ronnell Lewis, and S Ricardo Silva.

Bears RT Jonathan Scott was forced from Sunday's game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury.

Gabe Carimi, who had been benched at right guard for Chris Spencer earlier in the quarter, will have to take over at right tackle. Carimi's ineffectiveness was the only reason Scott had been plugged into the starting lineup.

ESPN's Bob Holtzman reported on Sunday Countdown that the Texans will use CB Johnathan Joseph to shadow Reggie Wayne all over the field in Week 15.

In last year's Colts-Texans games, Joseph stuck to LCB and played Pierre Garcon on the majority of the snaps. Wayne went against Kareem Jackson. The Texans will play matchups this time around, sticking their best cornerback on Indy's best receiver. It's worth noting that Joseph has not been a shutdown force this season. Pro Football Focus rates him 52nd among 111 qualifying cornerbacks in all-around play. He's a relatively middling 48th in coverage.

Trent Richardson (chest/ribs/finger) is active for Sunday's Week 15 game against the Redskins, as expected.

Richardson was a late addition to the injury report, but was listed as "probable." It's not a real concern. Despite a 3.51 YPC average, Richardson is a good bet to push for 25 touches once again. The Browns have an excellent chance to get a lead on a RG3-less Redskins team.

Bess missed practice all week with a back injury and was listed as "out" on Friday's final injury report. The Dolphins worked Brian Hartline in the slot during practice this week. Hartline may play there in three-receiver sets Sunday, with Marlon Moore and rookie Rishard Matthews playing on the outside.

Israel Idonije will start at three-technique for Melton, who has been Chicago's most consistent pass rusher this season. Special teamer Blake Costanzo will fill in at SLB for Hayes (knee). The banged-up Bears defense has allowed an average of 144.6 yards on the ground since Week 8 after shutting down rushing attacks in the first half of the season.

Cooper is a healthy scratch for the third straight week. The Browns continue to operate as one of the healthiest teams in the league and are favored to beat the RG3-less Redskins. Their inactives: CB Trevin Wade, S Eric Hagg, RB Brandon Jackson, TE Brad Smelley, FB Owen Marecic and OL Jarrod Shaw.

The Ravens' defense is getting Terrell Suggs (biceps) back, but they are really banged up. Ray Lewis (triceps) isn't ready and fellow inside linebackers Jameel McClain (neck) and Dannell Ellerbe (ankle) are both out as well. So is G Marshal Yanda (ankle). Look for the Broncos to exploit replacement ILB Josh Bynes, who is making his first start. The rest of their inactives: TE Ed Dickson, OL Ramon Harewood and WR Deonte Thompson.

Whereas the Texans are very healthy for their Week 15 division meeting with the Colts, Indianapolis cannot say the same. The Colts are down two key starting linemen in Satele and Justice. Vick Ballard gets a matchup boost from goal-line vulture Carter's absence, but will have fewer holes to run through.

As is Steven Jackson. Amendola has played just seven snaps since the Rams tied San Francisco on November 11, but one of the league's premier target monsters, he's a high-reward WR3 for the second week of the fantasy playoffs. Inactive for the Rams are QB Austin Davis, DT Matt Conrath, OT Joe Barksdale, OL Chris Williams, RB Terrance Ganaway, WR Steve Smith and TE Mike McNeill.

Banks is a healthy scratch again, leaving Niles Paul to return kicks and Richard Crawford to return punts. Of course, the Redskins have already declared that Robert Griffin III (knee) is inactive, leaving Kirk Cousins to start and Rex Grossman to back him up. The rest of their scratches: WR Dezmon Briscoe, LB Roddrick Muckelroy, OL Josh LeRibeus, T Tom Compton and G Adam Gettis.

Falcons SS Moore inactive for Week 15

12-16-2012

William Moore S ATL

Falcons SS William Moore (hamstring) is inactive for Week 15 versus the Giants.

It's a big loss for the Falcons secondary, especially with Asante Samuel likely to be limited by his shoulder injury. This game offered plenty of shoot-out potential even before factoring in the injuries to both defensive backfields. The rest of the Falcons inactives: QB Dominique Davis, WR Tim Toone, OG Phillip Manley, OG Harland Gunn, DE Lawrence Sidbury, and TE Chase Coffman.

The Texans are very healthy at this stage of the season. They should also be angry coming off last Monday night's embarrassing loss to the Patriots, and out for blood facing the upstart division-rival, and visiting 9-4 Colts.

Bowers active for Week 15 vs. Saints

12-16-2012

Da'Quan Bowers DE TB

Bucs DE Da'Quan Bowers (hamstring) is active for Week 15 versus the Saints.

Bowers was listed as questionable on the injury report, but he's active and will be part of the defensive line rotation. Tampa Bay declared CB LeQuan Lewis, RB Michael Smith, LB Najee Goode, OG Roger Allen, WR David Douglas, DT Corvey Irvin, and DT Matthew Masifilo inactive for Sunday.

Nicks got in two limited practices this week, leading to a probable listing. He's a fantasy WR2 in a potential shootout featuring a pair of banged-up secondaries. The Giants will be without CB Prince Amukamara and SS Kenny Phillips. The rest of the Giants inactives: RB Ahmad Bradshaw, S Tyler Sash, DE Adewale Ojomo, TE Adrien Robinson, and DT Marvin Austin inactive for Week 15 at Atlanta.

Woodyard ends up missing just one game. Von Miller's running partner needs to be back in IDP lineups as he's piled up 100 tackles, four sacks, three interceptions and five pass breakups this season. The Broncos will be without C Chris Kuper (ankle), but are otherwise healthy. Their inactives: QB Caleb Hanie, CB Tracey Porter, TE Julius Thomas, WR Andre Caldwell, RB L. Ball and DL Sealver Siliga.

Ivory is dealing with a hamstring injury, while Strief is still experiencing an ankle issue. Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas will handle early-down work. William Robinson will start at right tackle in place of Strief.

Roddy White (knee) is active, as expected, for Week 15 versus the Giants.

White has never missed a game since entering the league in 2005. There was no chance he was going to sit out against the Giants team that knocked him out of the playoffs in shutdown fashion last year. White remains a top-12 fantasy option for Week 15. Get him in your lineup.

Tennessee has a five-day window from February 4 through February 9 to cut ties with Johnson at no cost against the salary cap. CJ2K made headlines this past week by questioning his long-term future in The Volunteer State. Johnson is signed through the 2016 season. It wouldn't be a surprise if the Titans rid themselves of the financial burden.

Appearing on ESPN's Sunday Countdown, Chris Mortensen stated that Danny Amendola (heel, probable) will play on Sunday against the Vikings.

This doesn't come as a surprise after Amendola put in a full practice on Friday. Although he carries plenty of risk, it's hard to argue that Amendola is anything less than a WR2 at home versus Minnesota's No. 18 pass defense. His return crimps what little fantasy appeal Brandon Gibson had.

Claiborne out for Sunday, Jenkins to start

12-16-2012

Morris Claiborne CB DAL

Cowboys first-round rookie CB Morris Claiborne (concussion) will not play on Sunday against the Steelers.

Claiborne hasn't passed his concussion tests after suffering a head injury in last week's win over the Bengals. Mike Jenkins will start opposite Brandon Carr with Sterling Moore handling nickle duties.

Ravens CB Smith set to return for Week 15

12-16-2012

Jimmy Smith CB BAL

Ravens CB Jimmy Smith (sports hernia surgery) is expected to play on Sunday against the Broncos.

Smith, a first-round pick in 2011, has missed the last five games after undergoing surgery on November 15. Baltimore gets Smith back at the perfect time for a matchup against Peyton Manning. Corey Graham has started the previous four contests at left corner.

We already knew that Kirk Cousins would get the start after the team announced it on Saturday night. Veteran signal caller Rex Grossman will back him up on Sunday. Griffin is aiming for a Week 16 return versus the Eagles, but the Redskins will likely try to keep everyone guessing up until next weekend.

Gronkowski practiced on Friday, but he was all but ruled out for Week 15 despite the surprising return to the field. However, Profootballtalk still says it would be an "unexpected" appearance. The chances of Gronk suiting up are slim-to-none, and we wouldn't recommend banking on him to play. A return for Week 16 seems more likely, but even that isn't a guarantee.

Bennett missed Week 14 with the head injury, so Hester played his second-highest snap count of the season and was targeted a season-high eight times out of the slot. Despite seeing a heavy dose of reps, Hester is not a reliable fantasy option.

Suggs was considered a game-time decision after putting in a limited practice on Wednesday before being a full participant on Thursday and Friday. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year was close to playing in Week 14, so it's not a surprise to see him suiting up this week. With Ray Lewis (triceps) still out, Baltimore can use all the help at linebacker they can get.